MARSHAL: HEAR YE. HEAR YE. HEAR YE. THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA IS NOW IN SESSION. ALL WHO HAVE CAUSE TO PLEA, DRAW NEAR, GIVE ATTENTION AND YOU SHALL BE HEARD. GOD SAVE THE UNITED STATES, THE GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA, AND THIS HONORABLE COURT. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT. PLEASE BE SEATED.

CHIEF JUSTICE: THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. GOOD MORNING AND BUENOS DIAS. THE COURT WILL NOW RECOGNIZE THE REVEREND ROBERT VALLEE, THE ST. JOHN VIANNEY SEMINAR I, FOR THE -- SEMINARY, FOR THE INVOCATION.

GOOD MORNING. I WAS AFRAID THAT I WOULD BE NERVOUS, BUT RAOUL AND ANNIE GRACIOUSLY BROUGHT WITH THEM HALF OF MIAMI. SO I FEEL AT HOME. TO SPEAK BEFORE THIS ASSEMBLY IS A GREAT HONOR. SCRIPTURE IS IMPORTANT, AND WE READ BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR JUSTICE, FOR THEY WILL BE SATISFIED. THE CLUE TO UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE OF JUSTICE IS THAT, ON THIS WORLD, ANYWAY, IT LIES PERPETUALLY OUT OF OUR REACH ON THIS SIDE OF ETERNITY, HENCE JUSTICE IS SOMETHING AFTER WHICH MEN AND WOMEN OF CONSCIOUS MUST PERPETUALLY HUNGER AND THIRST. THOSE WHO PURSUE JUSTICE AND THE DEMANDS OF TANGENT AND CONCRETE EXISTENCE. WHAT MEANS JUSTICE TODAY MAY NEED REINTERPRETATION AND REFORMULATION TOMORROW, AS CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE LAW CHANGE. THEREFORE WE PRAY, AS WE ARE ABOUT TO FOR JUSTICE, WE ARE NOT PRAYING FOR THIS OR THAT PARTICULAR OUTCOME. WE ARE PRAYING FOR SOMETHING TO CHANGE WITHIN OURSELVES. WE ARE PRAYING FOR A THIRST, FOR A HUNKER. WE ARE PRAYING FOR A READINESS AND OPENNESS IN OUR HEARTS. IT IS AS IF WE ARE SAYING, LORD, CHANGE THE WORLD BY CHANGING MYSELF. MAY MY HEART BE MORE TENDER. MAY MY MIND BE MORE SUBTLE AND MY BEING HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER JUSTICE. A JUSTICE OF THIS SUPREME COURT NEEDS TO BE ONE WHO IS SUPREMELY HUNGRY AND THIRSTY FOR JUSTICE. LET US PRAY. LORD GOD, WE BEG YOU SEND YOUR SPIRIT INTO OUR MIDST. MAKE OUR MINDS MORE SUBTLE TO GRASP YOUR TRUTH AND OUR HEARTS MORE TENDER TO GRASP YOUR LOVE. PLACE IN OUR HEARTS, A HUNGER AND A THIRST FOR YOUR JUSTICE. AMEN.

CHIEF JUSTICE: THANK YOU, REVEREND VALLEE. AT THIS TIME, THE COURT WILL RECOGNIZE 13 VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE WHO WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. ALL OF THEM ARE CHILDREN AND GOD CHILDREN OF THE CANTERO AND PERIOD OWN-FAMILY -- AND PERDONO FAMILIES. THEY ARE CHRISTIAN, MICHAEL AND ALISA CANTERO, NICOLET AND BRIGETTE PERDONO. MONICA AND REBECCA GARCIA, ERICA AND JESSICASTEIN MILLER. -- AND JESSICA STEINMILLER. VICTOR -- VICTORIA DE LA COMPA AND SOPHIA. WILL YOU ALL STAND AND WE WILL PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE. ALL: I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

CHIEF JUSTICE: I THINK THE FIRST ROUND OF APPLAUSE WOULD BE IN ORDER FOR THOSE CHILDREN. [APPLAUSE] -

CHIEF JUSTICE: LET ME WELCOME ALL OF YOU, AGAIN, TO YOUR FLORIDA SUPREME COURT. TODAY'S SESSION IS MORSEL ABRASION THAN CEREMONY. AND IF THE OCCASION MOVES YOU TO LAUGH, CRY, OR APPLAUD, GO RIGHT AHEAD. YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION. THIS OCCASION IS, BOTH, AN INTENSELY PERSONAL ONE BUT, ALSO, ONE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO AMERICAN SOCIETY. WE ARE JUSTLY PROUD, IN THIS SOCIETY, OF THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH THIS SOCIETY WAS FOUNDED AND THAT HAVE SERVED US SO WELL. AMONG THOSE PRINCIPLES IS THE RULE OF LAW AND THE INDEPENDENCE OF A JUDICIARY CHARGED WITH UPHOLDING THAT RULE. BUT THE GREATEST OF PRINCIPLES ARE MEANINGLESS, UNTIL LIFE IS BREATHED INTO THEM BY REAL HUMAN BEINGS, WILLING TO TAKE ON THAT ENORMOUS RESPONSIBILITY. TODAY WE CELEBRATE THE ASSUMPTION OF THAT GREAT TRUST AND RESPONSIBILITY BY RAOUL CANTERO. AT THIS TIME, THE COURT WILL RECOGNIZE THE HONORABLE JEB BUSH, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, FOR REMARKS AND THE PRESENTATION OF JUSTICE CANTERO'S CREDENTIALS. GOVERNOR BUSH.

GOVERNOR BUSH: THANK YOU, MR. CHIEF JUSTICE. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. PLEASE. YOU TOLD THEM TO APPLAUSE. YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT! THANK YOU, MR. CHIEF JUSTICE. [APPLAUSE] THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE A HOMETOWN CROWD. [LAUGHTER [THANK YOU, MR. CHIEF JUSTICE. I AM SO PROUD TO BE HERE AS GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INVEST TOUR OF JUSTICE RAOUL CANTERO, AND IT IS GREAT TO SEE HIS BEAUTIFUL FAMILY AND THE EXTENDED FAMILY AND FRIENDS FROM BACK HOME, AND WE WELCOME YOU HERE, TO BEAUTIFUL TALLAHASSEE. I WAS REALLY PRIVILEGED TO MAKE THIS CHOICE. RAOUL IS A WONDERFUL PERSON, AND HE IS A GREAT LAWYER, AND HE WILL BE A GREAT JUSTICE OF THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT, AND SO I AM REALLY HONORED TO BE HERE. APART FROM THE FACT THAT HE WENT TO HARVARD, NOTWITHSTANDING THAT, I FELT THAT HE WAS STRONGLY QUALIFIED FOR THIS POSITION. IT DID WARM MY HEART THAT HE WENT TO FSU, ONE OF OUR GREAT UNIVERSITIES. MR. PRESIDENT. [APPLAUSE] HE HAS HAD A 14-YEAR CAREER AS A, IN PRIVATE PRACTICE, AS ONE OF THE FINEST APPELLATE ADVOCATES IN THE STATE. THAT WAS CLEAR, AS THE RECOMMENDATIONS CAME IN FROM HIS PEERS AND PEOPLE THAT, JUDGES THAT, WHERE HE PRACTICED IN FRONT OF, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THIS MAN WAS A MAN WHO HAD INCREDIBLE SKILLS THAT WOULD MAKE HIM QUALIFIED TO BE A JUSTICE AS WELL. HE IS A GREAT WRITER. AND THAT IS IMPORTANT, BECAUSE ONE OF MY HOPES IS THAT HE WILL BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN TO ME, THE DECISIONS OF THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT. [LAUGHTER] CLEAR WRITING IS IMPORTANT FOR NONLAWYERS, TO MAKE THE LAWS -- I HOPE YOU ARE NOT IMPLYING OR READING INTO ANYTHING I JUST SAID. IT WASN'T RELATED TO ANYTHING BUT THE FACT THAT I THINK THE LAW NEEDS TO BE CLEAR FOR PEOPLE THAT AREN'T LAWYERS, SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND THESE DECISIONS, AND GOOD WRITING AT THE APPELLATE LEVEL AND THE SUPREME COURT LEVEL, IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. HE HAS BEEN A PUBLIC SERVANT BEFORE AND HAS A SERVANT'S HEART, AND I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT FOR ANYBODY THAT SERVES IN PUBLIC LIFE, AND I AM PROUD OF THE FACT THAT HE IS AN HISPANIC. YOU KNOW, THIS COURT REPRESENTS MANY IMPORTANT THINGS FOR OUR STATE, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT A 16-YEAR-OLD THAT MAY BE STRUGGLING IN SCHOOL OR THINKING, PERHAPS, THAT THAT THERE IS NOT A CHANCE FOR HIM TO PURSUE HIS DREAMS OR HER DREAMS, WHEN THEY SEE A COURT LIKE IT IS TODAY THAT REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY OF THE STATE, IT DOES OFFER HOPE, AND RAOUL, I AM PROUD THAT YOU WILL OFFER HOPE FOR A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS STATE THAT ARE REPRESENTING A GROWING PART OF OUR POPULATION THAT WILL MAKE HUGE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STATE OF FLORIDA. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN ALL OF THAT IS RAOUL CANTERO THE PERSON. IS HE A PERSON, AS EVIDENCED BY THE GATHERING OF PEOPLE HERE TODAY, STANDING ROOM ONLY CROWD, HE BASES HIS LIFE ON THREE PRINCIPLES THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT: FAITH, FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND IF WE ALL DID THAT, I THINK THIS LIFE WOULD BE A LOT BETTER, BUT A WONDERFUL FAMILY. MR. CANTERO, SENIOR, STILL DENIES THE FACT THAT HE LEAKED THE APPOINTMENT, WHEN HE, WHEN I READ IN THE PAPER THAT I WAS ABOUT READY TO MAKE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT THE MORNING IN THE MIAMI HERALD. BUT HE DOES SAY THAT, CAN YOU, WOULD YOU EVER THINK THAT A PROUD CUBAN-AMERICAN FATHER WOULDN'T BE ABLE, WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT ON SOMETHING THIS IMPORTANT, SO WHETHER IT WAS A LEAK OR JUST AN OPEN EXPRESSION OF LOVE, REMAINS TO BE SEEN. WE WILL LET HISTORY BE THAT GUIDE, BUT RAOUL'S FAMILY IS WONDERFUL, AND THEY WILL ADD TO THE COMMUNITY LIFE HERE, IN TALLAHASSEE, AND HOPEFULLY, IF WE CAN BRING A LOT MORE FRIENDS FROM MIAMI ON A REGULAR BASIS, I THINK TALLAHASSEE WILL BE ENRICHED AS WELL, AND HIS FAITH IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY POWERFUL AND GUIDES HIS LIFE. THOSE THREE THINGS ARE MEANINGFUL TO ME IN MY LIFE, AND I THINK IT WILL BE A TRIBUTE TO YOU, AS YOU GO FORWARD TO TEN TO BE FOCUSED ON YOUR FAITH AND REMEMBER THE THOUSANDS OF FRIENDS YOU HAVE AND ALWAYS STAY FOCUSED, AS I KNOW YOU WILL ON YOUR FAMILY, SO IT IS WITH GREAT JOY THAT I PRESENT THESE DOCUMENTS, THIS DOCUMENT, MR. CHIEF JUSTICE, TO YOU FOR THE INVEST TOUR -- FOR THE INVESTITURE OF RAOUL CANTERO.

CHIEF JUSTICE: THANK YOU, GOVERNOR BUSH. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, AGAIN, GOVERNOR BUSH. THE COURT WILL NOW RECOGNIZE TOD ARONOVITZ, PRESIDENT OF THE FLORIDA BAR, FOR A PRESENTATION. MR. ARONOVITZ: MAY IT PLEASE THE COURT. CHIEF JUSTICE, JUSTICE CANTERO, MEMBERS OF THE COURT. GOVERNOR, IT IS GREAT TO SEE YOU HERE IN THIS HISTORIC COURTHOUSE. MEMBERS OF THE SENATE, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF OUR LEGISLATURE, A NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE BAR, FORMER LAW PARTNERS OF JUSTICE CANTERO, YOUR DEAR FAMILY MEMBERS, AND A WHOLE LOT OF YOUR FRIENDS THAT CAME A LONG WAY TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY. TODAY IS A SPECIAL OCCASION FOR MANY REASONS. THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON IS THAT THIS OCCASION MATTERS TO ALL FLORIDIANS, BECAUSE A SUPERBLY-SKILLED ADVOCATE HAS MADE AN IMPORTANT DECISION, A MAN WHO IS COMMITTED TO SERVICE AND PROFESSIONISM IS STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE, TO MAKE AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO OUR STATE AND OUR COUNTRY. THIS IS AN OCCASION THAT TRULY UNITS US AS A -- UNITS US AS A -- THAT TRULY UNITS US AS A COMMUNITY. THE FLORIDA BAR APPLAUDS JUSTICE RAOUL CANTERO. JUSTICE CANTERO REPRESENTS THE BEST THAT OUR LEGAL PROFESSION HAS TO OFFER. HIS EXPERIENCE, HIS LIFE WORK, AND HIS COMMITMENT TO OUR SYSTEM OF LAWS SETS AN EXAMPLE FOR ALL OF US. ATTORNEYS ACROSS FLORIDA WORK HARD EACH DAY, FOR THEIR CLIENTS. MANY WORK HARD IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. MANY SERVE THEIR COUNTRY AND SHOW INCREDIBLE COMMITMENTS TO THEIR FAMILIES. JUSTICE CANTERO DOES THIS ALL IN HIS WORK EACH DAY, AND AS HE IS ABOUT TO STEP INTO THIS VERY IMPORTANT POSITION ON THIS HISTORIC COURT, HE CONTINUES HIS DEDICATION TO FAMILY, HIS COMMUNITY, AND HIS COUNTRY. AS A MEMBER OF THE FLORIDA BAR, RAOUL CANTERO HAS ACTIVELY WORKED TO BUILD AND STRENGTHEN HIS PROFESSION. FOR YEARS, HE SERVED IN POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP ON THE FLORIDA BAR APPELLATE RULES AND APPELLATE PRACTICES COMMITTEES. HE HAS TAKEN AN ACTIVE ROLE IN PROFESSIONISM, BOTH THROUGH HIS ACTIONS AND BY HIS ADVICE TO OTHERS. AS A CONS MATT LEGAL PROFESSION -- AS A CONS YOU MATT LEGAL PROFESSIONAL, HE HAS LED BY EXAMPLE, ALWAYS -- AS A CONSUMATE LEGAL PROFESSIONAL, HE HAS LED, BY EXAMPLE, ALWAYS TREATING OTHERS WITH RESPECT AND ASKING YOU TO DO THE SAME. IT IS A TRIBUTE TO HIM THAT HIS OPPOSING ATTORNEY ON ONE OF HIS CASES ENCOURAGED HIM TO SEEK THIS POSITION ON THE COURT. HIS FRIENDS DESCRIBE HIM AS A SCHOLAR, HONEST, AND A MAN OF INTEGRITY. IN ADDITION TO SERVING HIS PROFESSION, RAOUL CANTERO HAS, ALSO, SERVED HIS COMMUNITY. HE SERVED AND HE CHAIRED THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. HE HAS, ALSO, GIVEN FREE OF ONE OF THE MOST PRECIOUS COMMODITIES THAT ANY OF US HAVE, HIS TIME. HE HAS PROVIDED FREE LEGAL SERVICES, PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES, TO THOSE IN NEED. HE IS A MAN WHO TRULY BELIEVES IN PRO BONO SERVICES FOR THOSE IN NEED. AND, AT THE ROOT OF RAOUL CANTERO'S WORK, HIS SERVICE AND HIS PROFESSIONISM, IS A DEDICATION TO HIS FAMILY. IN SPEAKING TO JUSTICE CANTERO JUST LAST WEEK, I WAS STRUCK BY HIS COMMITMENT TO HIS FAMILY, HIS WHOLE FAMILY, AND TODAY IS A VERY PROUD TODAY FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY, AND IT IS A DAY THAT YOU SOON WON'T FORGET. [APPLAUSE] WE ARE HERE TODAY TO RECOGNIZE RAOUL CANTERO AS HE BEGINS HIS WORK AS A MEMBER OF FLORIDA'S HIGHEST COURT, BUT WE ARE, ALSO, HERE TO THANK HIM, IN A SENSE, BECAUSE HIS COMMITMENT, COMMUNITY AND TO HIS PROFESSION, HAS LED HIM HERE TODAY, TO A POINT WHERE HE HAS SEND THE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY OF SERVING HIS STATE AND HIS COUNTRY. WHILE THE DIFFICULT WORK OF OUR SUPREME COURT IS REWARDING AND IS CHALLENGING, IT, ALSO, REQUIRES A PERSONAL SACRIFICE AND A DEDICATION FROM THOSE WHO SERVE, SO THE FLORIDA BAR JOINS ALL OF THE PEOPLE OF FLORIDA, JUSTICE CANTERO, IN THANKING YOU FOR YOUR LIFE'S WORK AND YOUR DEDICATION TO YOUR COUNTRY. THANK YOU, SIR. [APPLAUSE]

CHIEF JUSTICE: THANK YOU, TOD. THE COURT WILL NOW RECOGNIZE TOM PENNEKAMP JR., PRESIDENT OF THE DADE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION, FOR A PRESENTATION. MR. PENNEKAMP: MAY IT PLEASE THE COURT. JUSTICE CANTERO, IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE, ON BEHALF OF THE DADE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION AND ITS 4,000 MEMBERS, TO WELCOME YOU TO THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT. OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, I HAVE ENJOYED GETTING TO KNOW YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT YOURSELF. IT STRUCK ME IMMEDIATELY, HOW MUCH WE REALLY HAVE IN COMMON. WE BOTH LIVE AND GREW UP IN CORAL GABS. WE BOTH WORK IN COCONUT GROVE. WE BOTH HAVE THREE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN AND A LOVELY WIFE. THE ONLY TROUBLING DIFFERENCE IS YOU ARE BEING SWORN INTO THE SUPREME COURT TODAY. [LAUGHTER] YOU KNOW, THE ONLY EXPLANATION I HAVE IS THAT YOU WENT TO HARVARD AND I CHOSE DARTMOUTH OR MAYBE IT COULD BE BECAUSE YOU WENT TO FSU AND I AM JUST A GATOR. ON THE BRIGHTER SIDE OF THINGS, I AM 38 YEARS OLD AND YOU ARE JUST 42. MAYBE I CAN STILL CATCH UP. [LAUGHTER] EVERY YEAR, I MAKE A COMMITMENT TO BE A BETTER LAWYER AND A BETTER PERSON, AND I KNOW THAT IS TRUE FOR YOU, AND AS A 42-YEAR-OLD JUSTICE ON THE SUPREME COURT OF FLORIDA, IT IS NOT HARD TO IMAGINE THE EXCELLENCE THAT LIES IN YOUR FUTURE. OBVIOUSLY I THINK IT IS WONDERFUL THAT THE SUPREME COURT HAS A 42-YEAR-OLD FAMILY MAN AS A MEMBER OF THE COURT. AND I AM SURE YOU SHARE MY OPINION THAT HAVING THREE CHILDREN GIVES YOU AN UNIQUE OPINION ON SOCIETY AND RESOLVING JUSTICE. I AM SURE THAT RESOLVING FAMILY DISPUTES WILL SERVE YOU WELL AS YOU PRESIDE OVER THE LARGER BUT NO LESS IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT ARE GOING TO FACE FLORIDA IN THE SFUT. JUSTICE -- IN THE FUTURE. JUSTICE CANTERO, I THANK YOU PERSONALLY, I THANK YOU ON BEHALF THE DADE COUNTY BAR AND I THANK YOU ON BEHALF THE FLORIDA BAR FOR YOURSELFLESSNESS IN AGREEING TO COME UP HERE AND SERVE ON THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

CHIEF JUSTICE: THANK YOU, TOM. I WILL NOW RECOGNIZE MR. EUGENE HERNANDEZ, PRESIDENT OF THE CUBAN-AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION. MR. HERNANDEZ. MR. HERNANDEZ: THANK YOU. MAY IT PLEASE THE COURT. GOOD MORNING. BUENOS DIAS. I AM PLEASED TO BE HERE ON THIS HISTORIC OCCASION. WE CAN TRULY SAY WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY, FROM OUR HUMBLE BEGINNINGS, WHEN OUR MEMBERS WERE STRUGGLING TO REESTABLISH THEMSELVES AS ATTORNEYS HERE, IN THE U.S. THROUGH HARD WORK AND PERSONAL SACRIFICE, THEY BECAME ATTORNEYS, NOT ONLY ATTORNEYS BUT LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY. TODAY MANY OF OUR MEMBERS ARE NOT ONLY LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY BUT SUCCESSFUL ATTORNEYS AND LEADERS IN MAJOR FIRMS. FIRMS SUCH AS ACRE MAN SENTERFITT -- AS ACREMAN SENTERFITT, MY FIRM HOLLAND AND KNIGHT, EXECUTIVE PARTNER OF OUR MIAMI OFFICE, HEAD OF OUR INTERNATIONAL LAW GROUP, MY NEWEST PARTNER WHO YOU WILL HEAR FROM TODAY, THE HONORABLE LOUIE SERANDO, FORMER LEADER OF THE THIRD DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL, AND WHEN IT COMES TO PRACTICE, I GUESS I AM BIASED, WHEN IT COMES TO HOLLAND AND KNIGHT. MY LOVELY WIFE, THE CITY ATTORNEY OF CORAL GABLES. I CAN'T HELP TO THINK BACK TO JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, WHEN I WAS INVESTED AS PRESIDENT OF CABA, WHEN I SAID I SEE THE NEED IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WHEN WE WILL, ALSO ACTION BE ON THE SUPREME COURT OF FLORIDA -- WHEN WE WILL, ALSO, BE ON THE SUPREME COURT OF FLORIDA. I NEVER THOUGHT THAT DAY WOULD COME SO QUICKLY. WE AT CABA, AND I THINK I SPEAK FOR ALL OF THE MEMBERS, ARE EXTREMELY HAPPY AND PROUD OF RAOUL CANTERO. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION AFTER PLASUE. IF YOU WOULD -- OF A PLAQUE. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE COME UP. IT READS CUBAN-AMERICAN BAR, PRESENTED TO RAOUL CANTERO, III, ON HIS INVESTITURE ON THE SUPREME COURT OF FLORIDA, OCTOBER 4, 2002, AND IT HAS A QUOTE FROM CUBA'S WRITER AND A POET, WHICH SAYS I WANT THE LAW OF THE LAND TO BE FULL DIGNITY FOR ALL. CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE]

CHIEF JUSTICE: AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE FOR RAOUL CANTERO AND HIS WIFE, ANNIE, TO PLEASE STAND IN THE WELL, FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE OATH OF OFFICE. THE COURT ALSO RECOGNIZES THE HONORABLE EDWARD B DAVIS, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE, NOW RETIRED, FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADMINISTERING THE OATH OF OFFICE. JUDGE DAVIS. JUDGE DAVIS: YOUR HONORS, IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY. I DON'T THINK I CAN THINK OF ANY HONOR THAT I WOULD HAVE THAT WOULD PLEASE ME MORE THAN THIS. RAOUL WAS A GREAT LAW CLERK FOR ME, A GREAT LAWYER IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE HE WILL BE A GREAT JUSTICE TO JOIN YOU ON THIS COURT. RAOUL, IF YOU WILL RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND PLEASE, AND REPEAT AFTER ME. I, RAOUL G CANTERO III, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL SUPPORT, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THAT I AM DULY QUALIFIED TO HOLD OFFICE UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE. AND THAT I WILL WELL AND FAITHFULLY PERFORM THE DUTIES OF THE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OF FLORIDA ON WHICH I AM NOW ABOUT TO ENTER. SO HELP ME GOD. [APPLAUSE] -

CHIEF JUSTICE: IF YOU WILL STAY IN PLACE AND ANNIE, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET OFF EASILY THERE. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO ASK CHRISTIAN, MICHAEL AND LISA TO PLEASE -- AND ELISA TO PLEASE JOIN YOUR PARENTS AT THE WELL PORTION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ENROBING THEIR FATHER. JUSTICE CANTERO: THIS MAY TAKE A WHILE SLAM -- A WHILE! [LAUGHTER]

CHIEF JUSTICE: HELP HIM WITH THAT TOP BUTTON. THAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT.

CHIEF JUSTICE: ALL RIGHT. THAT IS A JOB WELL DONE. [OVATION]

CHIEF JUSTICE: MARSHAL, WOULD YOU PLEASE ESCORT JUSTICE CANTERO TO THE BENCH. [APPLAUSE]

CHIEF JUSTICE: PLEASE BE SEATED. AT THIS TIME, THE COURT WILL RECOGNIZE THE HONORABLE FREDERICK AMORENO, THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE, FOR REMARKS. JUDGE MORENO. JUDGE MORENO: CHIEF JUDGE ANSTEAD, GOVERNOR BUSH, MEMBERS OF THE COURT FORMER CHIEF JUDGE DAVIS, FORMER JUDGE SORROADO, DON'T LET THAT GIVE YOU A PAWS. IT IS STILL A GOOD JOB TO BE A JUDGE, THOUGH I SUGGEST AFTER SEEING THE ENROBING THAT TRIAL JUDGES HAVE VELCRO ON THEIR ROBES, IF THE BUDGET ALLOWS, YOU COULD CONSIDER THAT. [LAUGHTER] MEMBERS OF THE JUDICIARY, FRIENDS, WHO IS RAOUL CANTERO, AND WHY IS HE HERE? WELL, EVERYONE, BY NOW, HAS READ ABOUT HIS ACADEMIC SUCCESS AT FSU AND AS A HARVARD LAW GRADUATE, A CLERK FOR A FEDERAL JUDGE, AND A PARTNER FOR A MAJOR LAW FIRM, BUT RAOUL, AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, HAS NEVER CONFUSED HIS CAREER WITH HIS LIFE. THE INCREDIBLE TURN OUT OF THIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS AT THIS INVESTITURE, AND IT IS INCREDIBLE. ON MY WAY OVER TO THE COURTHOUSE ON THE RADIO IN THE CAB, THERE WAS A REPORT THAT THE CENSUS BUREAU WAS GOING TO BE DOING AN UPDATE, BECAUSE AT LEAST THE CUBAN-AMERICAN POPULATION OF LEON COUNTY HAD MULTIPLIED TEN-FOLD. I IMMEDIATELY PICKED UP MY CELLULAR PHONE AND CALLED AND SAID NO NEED TO DO AN UPDATE. YOU HAVE OTHER THINGS. WE ARE JUST HAVING, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, A BIG FAT CUBAN INVESTITURE TODAY IN TALLAHASSEE [APPLAUSE] [LAUGHTER] -AS MR. ARONOVITZ MENTIONED BEFORE, THE TURNOUT HERE IS PROOF THAT RAOUL IS A DEVOTED HUSBAND TO ANI, A GOOD COACH AND A GOOD FATHER TO HIS CHILDREN, A GOOD SON AND GRANDSON AND A DEVOUT MAN OF FAITH, AND FOR THAT WE LOVE YOU. MUCH HAS BEEN WRITTEN, APPROPRIATELY SO, I BELIEVE, ABOUT THIS HISTORIC APPOINTMENT BY GOVERNOR JEB BUSH, OF THE FIRST CUBAN-AMERICAN ON THE FLORIDA SPRECHBLINGT WE ARE PROUD OF YOU, RAOUL ROBERTO GARCIA CANTERO Y BATISTA. [APPLAUSE] TRY PUTTING THAT ON YOUR BUMPER STICKER ON YOUR FIRST RETENTION ELECTION, HUH? [LAUGHTER] WE RESPECT YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE NEVER SURE UNDERERRED YOUR CULTURAL HERITAGE, BUT WHILE YOU RECOGNIZE A TIME OTHER THAN THE PRESENT, YOU BELIEVE, AS DID WINSTON CHURCHILL, THAT, IF WE OPEN A QUARTER AL -- A QUARREL BETWEEN THE PRESENT AND THE PAST, WE SHALL BE IN DANGER OF LOSING THE FUTURE, SO WE KNOW WHO RAOUL CANTERO IS, BUT WHY IS HE HERE AS A JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT? HOLD ON, ANI. [LAUGHTER] IT IS NOT OVER. NOTICE THE SPEECH COMES AFTER THE SWEARING IN. THE SUPREME COURT, THE LEAST PUBLIC OF THE THREE BRANCHES, AND YET THE ONE THAT TOUCHES EVERY ASPECT OF THE AMERICAN POLITICAL LANDSCAPE, FOR THE GOVERNOR MAY PROPOSE, THE LEGISLATURE MAY PASS, BUT IF THE COURT SAYS THE RESULT DOES NOT MEET CONSTITUTIONAL STANDARDS, IT MATTERS NOT. I VENTURE TO GUESS THAT GOVERNOR JEB BUSH APPOINTED RAOUL CANTERO, BECAUSE BOTH THE GOVERNOR AND RAOUL KNOW THAT JUDGES ARE NOT JUST ANOTHER POLITICALLY-POWERFUL BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT. JUDGES ARE DIFFERENT. THEY ARRIVE AT THEIR DECISION, FREE OF PERSONAL, POLITICAL AGENDAS, RESPECTING THE LIMITS IMPOSED BY PRECEDENT, STATUTES, AND THE CONSTITUTION, AND EXPLAIN THEM IN THE WRITTEN OPINIONS, AND RAOUL CANTERO WILL DO SO AND WILL DO IT WELL. ON OCCASION, YOUR COLLEAGUES, FAMILY, THE GOVERNOR, EVEN YOUR JUDGE FRIENDS WILL DISAGREE WITH YOUR DECISIONS. HOPEFULLY NOT MANY. BUT WE WILL NEVER DOUBT THAT YOU ARRIVED AT THEM THROUGH LOGIC, PRINCIPLE, AND THE RULE OF LAW. GOVERNOR BUSH, THE PEOPLE OF FLORIDA THANK YOU FOR APPOINTING RAOUL CANTERO TO THE STATE'S HIGHEST COURT, WHERE HE WILL DISTINGUISH HIMSELF IN THE TRADITION OF JOHN CARDINAL NEWMAN'S DEFINITION OF A GENTLEMAN. A GENTLEMAN NEVER SPEAKS OF HIMSELF, EXCEPT WHEN COMPELLED. NEVER DEFENDS HIMSELF BY A MERE RETORT. HE HAS NO EARS FOR SLANDER OR GOSSIP, AND INTERPRETS EVERYTHING FOR THE BEST. HE IS NEVER MEAN OR LITTLE IN HIS DISPUTES, NEVER TAKES UNFAIR ADVANTAGE, NEVER MISTAKES PERSONALITIES OR SHARP SAYINGS FOR ARGUMENTS OR INSINUATES EVIL, WHICH HE DARE NOT SAY OUT. HE EVER CONDUCTION HIMSELF TOWARD LISTEN ANY MILE AS IF -- TOWARD LISTEN MILE AS IF HE WERE HIS FRIEND. HE HAS TOO MUCH GOOD SENSE TO BE AFFRONTED AS INSULTS. HE IS TOO WELL EMPLOYED TO REMEMBER INJURIES. IS HE PATIENT AND FORE BEARING. HE RESPECTS PIETY AND DEVOTION. RAOUL, YOU ARE INDEED A GENTLEMAN, AND THE MEMBERS OF THE SUPREME COURT ARE TRULY LUCKY TO HAVE YOU AS ONE OF THEIR COLLEAGUES, AND WE, IN FLORIDA, ARE FORTUNATE THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO BE A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE. THANK YOU FOR SERVING ALL OF US IN THAT CAPACITY. [APPLAUSE]

CHIEF JUSTICE: I NOW RECOGNIZE FORMER JUDGE OF THE THIRD DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL, RODOLFO SORONDO. [APPLAUSE] JUDGE SORONDO: MAY IT PLEASE THE COURT, MR. BUSH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT JUSTICE CANTERO, WHO, FOR PURPOSES OF THIS STORY I WILL REFER TO AS RAOUL, SINCE IT REALLY WON'T TELL IF IT IS OVERLY FORMAL. I MET RAOUL WHEN I WAS QUARTERBACK FOR THE CUBAN-AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION'S FLAG FOOTBALL TEAM. THAT SHOULD GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THE TEAM WAS LIKE! [LAUGHTER] WE WERE NOT VERY GOOD. WE WERE NOT VERY GOOD, AND SO WHEN SOMEONE SAID "WE HAVE A NEW GUY AND HE IS A GREAT ATHLETE", I WAS VERY OPTIMISTIC. THE PERSON WHO TOLD ME ADDED, "AND YOU KNOW, HE HAS NEVER HAD SURGERY." WE HAD ALWAYS WANTED ONE OF THOSE, AND I WAS VERY, VERY ENCOURAGED. WE HAD A GOOD TEAM, AND I DON'T WANT TO REALLY MAKE ANYBODY LOOK BAD. OUR SEVERS RAN OUT. THEY RAN THEIR -- OUR RESEVERS RAN OUT AND RAN THEIR PATTERNS AND WENT FOR THE BALL, BUT WHEN IT CAME TO DIVING FOR CLOSED PLACE, THERE WAS A THOUGHT PROCESS, AND UNFORTUNATELY DIVING FOR A FOOTBALL IS NOT ONE OF THOSE THINGS IN LIFE THAT LENDS ITSELF TO THE DELIBERATIVE PROCESS. FORTUNATELY, RAOUL HAD ABSOLUTELY NO REGARD FOR HIS BODY. RAOUL WOULD RUN INTO ANYONE, SMASH INTO ANYONE, DIVE FOR ANYTHING. HE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CONCEPT OF CONSEQUENCES, WHEN HE WAS ON THAT FOOTBALL FIELD, AND THE ADRENALIN WAS PUMPING, AND IT WAS ONE DAY OUT IN THE FOOTBALL FIELD, WHEN I KNEW THAT RAOUL AND I WERE GOING TO BE FRIENDS FOREVER. WE WERE 3-0. IT WAS THE END OF SEPTEMBER AND WE HAD TO PLAY THE OTHER TEAM THAT WAS 3-0, SO WE CALLED FOR A PRKTIS SATURDAY MORNING -- FOR A PRACTICE SATURDAY MORNING AT 8:30. WE TRIED TO SET IT EARLY IN THE MORNING, SO IT WOULDN'T BE VERY HOT, BUT OF COURSE IT WAS THE CUBAN-AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION TEAM, SO EVERYBODY WAS LATE, AND BEFORE, I SAW SOME EYEBROWS GO UP. WHEN YOU ARE ON THE INSIDE, YOU CAN SEE SAY THINGS LIKE THAT. [LAUGHTER] WE STARTED STRETCHING, AND WE STARTED RUNNING A FEW SHORT PLAYS. IT WAS OPPRESSIVE ANDLY HOT, AND IT WAS -- IT WAS OPPRESSIVELY HOT, AND RAOUL RUNS THE FIRST PATTERN, AND REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU MAY HEAR TODAY, THE BALL WAS THERE. I DON'T KNOW WHY HE JUMPED BUT THE BALL WAS THERE. HE DIDN'T GET UP, AND WE RAN OVER TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING, AND HE WAS JUST LYING LIKE THIS. HE WAS OBVIOUSLY, OBVIOUSLY IN AGONY, SO I, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY WHO HAS HAD THAT TYPE OF JURY -- OF INJURY, YOU JUST WAIT A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO LET THE STINK PASS, SO I -- TO LET THE STING PASS, SO I LEANED OVER AND SAID IS IT THE RIBS? NO ANSWER. IS IT THE BACK? NO ANSWER. WAITED A MINUTE AND I HEARD HIM SAYING IN S SOMETHING BUT DIDN'T QUITE HEAR IT, SO I LEANED FORWARD AND HE SAID, "ANI IS GOING TO KILL ME!" [LAUGHTER] THERE WAS A GREAT BONDING THAT DAY, MY FRIENDS. HERE WE WERE, TWO CUBAN GUYS, IN LOVE WITH THE GAME THEY HAD NO BUSINESS PLAYING, BOTH TERRIFIED OF THEIR RESPECTIVE WIVES. FOR YOU SEE, LIKE ANI CANTERO, MY WIFE WAS CONVINCED THAT THE LAWYERS' FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE WAS SECRETLY FINANCED BY THE ORTHOPEDIC SURGEONS OF DADE COUNTY. LIKE ANI CANTERO, MY WIFE BELIEVED THAT OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE PRIVATE EDUCATION OF OUR DOCTOR HAD BEEN FAR TOO GREAT, LIKE ANI CANTERO, MY WIFE HAD TAKEN TO REFUSING TO REFILL THE ICE BAG. AS I SAT ON THE LAZY BOY CHAIR AFTER THE GAMES, AND LIKE ANI CANTERO, MY WIFE HAD TAKEN TO HIDING THE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY MEDICATION, WHICH MADE PLAYING THE FOLLOWING WEEK VERY, VERY DIFFICULT. ANYWAY, WE WERE STILL THERE. HE WAS STILL ON THE GROUND AND I SAID COME ON, I WILL TAKE YOU TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, AND HE SAID "NO. ". I SAID, YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE MS. Y IS ROOM, AND HE SAID NO, THAT ANI WAS WALKING IN OUR COUSIN'S WEDDING THIS AFTERNOON. WE KNEW HE WAS A GONER. THERE WOULD BE NO SOLUTION TO THIS. SO I PUT HIM IN THE CAR AND TOOK HIM BACK TO THE HOUSE AND HELPED HIM. HE COULDN'T GET HIS ARM HIGH ENOUGH TO WALK TO THE DOOFERMENT ANI WAS IN A GREAT MOOD, AS SHE ALWAYS IS -- TO THE DOOR. ANI WAS IN A GREAT MOOD, AS SHE ALWAYS IS, AND STUCK HER HEAD OUT FROM THE KITCHEN, AND THE SMILE COMPLETELY EVAPORATED. RAOUL GAVE ME ONE OF THESE, WHICH IS LEAVE ME ALONE, I CAN HANDLE THIS, SO I DID. HE TRIED TO WALK OVER TO THE CHAIR IN A MANNER RESEMBLIING QUASI MODO, AND SMILING AS IF I AM OKAY. I AM GOING TO BE THERE. I AM GOING TO BE THERE. AND I FELT SO BAD FOR HIM. I WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING MITIGATING, SOMETHING TO HELP HIM OUT, AND THAT IS WHEN ANI ASSUMED BASIC POSITION NUMBER ONE: LET ME TELL YOU BASIC POSITION NUMBER ONE IS BAD NEWS, AND I BELIEVE THE MILITARY HAS A FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPT THAT YOU NEVER LEAVE A MAN BEHIND. AND I BELIEVE IN THAT, BUT WHEN ANI ASSUMED BASIC POSITION NUMBER ONE, I LEFT. [APPLAUSE] [LAUGHTER] NOW, ANI WALKED IN HER COUSIN'S WEDDING THAT AFTERNOON. RAOUL GOT A DISTANT RELATIVE TO TAKE HIM TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, AND I WENT HOME TO MY EYES BAG, CARRYING MY GUILT -- TO MY EYES -- TO MY ICE BAG, CARRYING MY GUILT, AND THAT IS HOW I GOT OVER IT. THAT IS THE SORT OF GREAT EXPERIENCE THAT CEMENTED OUR FRIENDSHIP. SERIOUSLY, AT THE TIME THAT I MET RAOUL, I WAS A CIRCUIT JUDGE IN THE CRIMINAL DIVISION, AND ALTHOUGH I HEARD A LOT ABOUT HIS REPUTATION AS A LAWYER, RAOUL WAS AN APPELLATE LAWYER, AND WHEN HE DID GO TO THE TRIAL COURTS, HE WENT TO THE CIVIL COURTS, NOT TO THE CRIMINAL COURT, SO I HAD NEVER HAD A CHANCE TO SEE HIM PRACTICE. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ELEVATED TO THE THIRD DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL, AND THAT IS WHERE I CAME TO REALLY KNOW HIM FROM A PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE, AND I THINK THAT THE QUALITY OF THE REPRESENTATION AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL IS OUTSTANDING. BUT NEVERTHELESS, AS IN EVERY FORUM, THERE IS A SMALL GROUP OF LAWYERS THAT ALL OF THE JUDGES KNOW ARE ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT. THEY SORT OF PERSONIFY EVERYTHING THAT A LAWYER SHOULD BE. I HAD BEEN TOLD THAT RAOUL WAS ONE OF THEM, WHEN I GOT THERE, AND I CONFIRMED THAT. I THINK THE GREAT TALENT OF AN APPELLATE LAWYER IS TO BE ABLE TO DIGEST LARGE QUANTITIES OF INFORMATION, COMPLEX INFORMATION, ANALYZE, REDUCE IT TO ITS SIMPLEST COMPONENTS AND THEN COMMUNICATE IT TO THE COURT IN A VERY CONCISE AND UNDERSTANDABLE MANNER. RAOUL EXCELLED AT THAT. THESE CASES ARE WON AND LOST, AS EVERYONE IN THE APPELLATE WORLD KNOWS, ON THE BRIEFS, NOT NECESSARILY AT ORAL ARGUMENT, AND RAOUL, RAOUL'S WRITING, HIS ANALYSIS WAS ALWAYS OUTSTANDING. IN ORAL ARGUMENTS, HE WAS EQUALLY PERSUASIVE AND VERY, VERY TALENTED. ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE I CAN SAY THAT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN SAID. IS HE A WONDERFUL INDIVIDUAL, A GREAT HUMAN BEING, GREAT HUSBAND AND FATHER AND A WONDERFUL FRIEND, SOMEBODY THAT WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF. RAOUL, GOD BLESS YOU. I WISH YOU THE BEST. [APPLAUSE] -

CHIEF JUSTICE: THANK YOU, JUDGE SORONDO. THAT IS QUITE A CHALLENGE FOR YOU TO FOLLOW, JOSE DE LA O. MR. DE LA O: THANK YOU, MR. CHIEF JUSTICE, JUSTICES, GOVERNOR BUSH, MEMBERS OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF THE LEGISLATURE AND FRIENDS. WELCOME TO THE INVESTITURE CEREMONY OF RAOUL CANTERO. I AM HONORED AND HUMBLED THAT RAOUL WOULD ASK ME TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU TODAY. HE HAS, AT HIS DISPOSAL, A BATTERY OF MUCH MORE, AS YOU HAVE HEARD, DISTINGUISHED FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES, MEN AND WOMEN OF GREAT IMPORTANCE AND WEIGHT IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND YET HE HAS ASKED ME, SIMPLY HIS FRIEND, TO ADDRESS YOU THIS MORNING. I STAND HERE TODAY, ALONG WITH A SMALL AND DEMUR GROUP FROM MIAMI AND PARTS BEYOND, TO WHOLEHEARTEDLY CONFIRM, TO THE PEOPLE OF THE GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA THAT, GOVERNOR BUSH HAS MADE AN EXCELLENT CHOICE IN RAOUL CANTERO. BUT WHY RAOUL? HE CERTAINLY IS A BRILLIANT LAWYER. HIS ABILITY TO SIMPLY, CONCISELY AND DIRECTLY CONVEY COMPLEX LEGAL ISSUES HAS BEEN THE MONIKER OF HIS CAREER AS AN APPELLATE ATTORNEY. SURELY HIS INVOLVEMENT IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, IN HIS CONFLICT RESOLUTION SKILLS, HAVE WON HIM PRAISE FROM FRIENDS AND FROM ADVERSARIES ALIKE. AND THE FACT THAT HE IS HISPANIC AMERICAN ADDS TO HIS ALLURE AS A CAN'T DATE AND NOW THE FIRST HISPANIC MEMBER OF THIS COURT. YET THESE QUALITIES AND ATTRIBUTES DO NOT FULLY DEFINE RAOUL, AND WE LOOK ONLY TO THEM AS A GUIDE TO WHO HE IS, THEY LIMIT AND MINIMIZE HIM. THE REASON WHY HE WILL MAKE A FORMIDABLE JUSTICE ON THIS COURT TRANSCEND HIS POWERFUL RESUME, HIS LIST OF REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS, HIS COUNTLESS COURT VICTORIES AND HIS ETHNICITY. THEY ARE THE QUALITIES THAT MARK HIM AS A TRUE MAN AND NOT SIMPLY AS AN ACCOMPLISHED LAWYER. FAITH IN GOD AND LOVE OF FAMILY, INTEGRITY AND COMMITMENT THAT OCCASION TO SERVICE AND PASSION IN ALL ENDEAVORS. THESE ARE THE QUALITIES WHICH DEFINE AND WHICH MARK MY FRIEND, RAOUL, AND WHICH WILL MAKE HIM WORTHY OF THIS BENCH AND OF THE TRUST OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS GREAT STATE. RAOUL, ANI, CHRISTIAN, AND MICHAEL, AND HE LISA, WE LOVE YOU -- AND ELISA, WE MISS YOU AND WE LOVE YOU. WE WISH EACH OF YOU GREAT BLESSINGS AND WE KNOW THAT, ONCE THIS COMMUNITY OF TALLAHASSEE COMES TO KNOW YOU, THEY, TOO, WILL CREATE A SPECIAL BOND THAT CANNOT BE BROKEN BY TIME OR BY DISTANCE. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. [APPLAUSE]

CHIEF JUSTICE: THE COURT WILL NOW RECOGNIZE HENRY N ADORNO. MR. ADORNO: I AM READY. MAY IT PLEASE THE COURT. MR. CHIEF JUSTICE. JUSTICES. GOVERNOR. DISTINGUISHED DIGNITARIES AND HONORED GUESTS. BEFORE I BEGIN MY FORMAL COMMENTS, MAY I HUMBLY MAKE A SUGGESTION TO THE COURT. IF YOU WISH TO MAKE JUSTICE CANTERO FEEL AT HOME, AS YOU CAN TELL, POSSIBLY YOU WOULD CONSIDER, WHEN OPENING YOUR SESSIONS ON OCCASION, INSTEAD OF USING WHAT WE HEARD TODAY, THE TRADITIONAL HEAR YE. HEAR YE. HEAR YE. THAT YOU MAY CONSIDER OYA, OYA, OYA! ON EIGHTH STREET IN LITTLE HAVANA AND OTHER HISPANIC BARRIOS THROUGHOUT MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, LUCKY IMMIGRANTS WHO HAVE MADE IT IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE A SAYING THAT I THINK IS APPROPRIATE FOR TODAY. AND THAT SAYING IS BASEBALL HAS BEEN VERY GOOD TO ME, VERY GOOD, VERY GOOD! [LAUGHTER] JUSTICE CANTERO, YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE LUCKY IMMIGRANTS. THE LAW HAS BEEN VERY GOOD TO YOU. HOWEVER, LUCK HAS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT, ALTHOUGH THE LAW HAS BEEN VERY GOOD TO YOU, YOU HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD AT THE LAW. I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF KNOWING HIM AND WORKING WITH HIM FOR ALMOST EVERY SINGLE DAY OF HIS ENTIRE LEGAL CAREER. HE WAS MY SUMMER INTERN AT THE OLD PAUL AND THOMPSON LAW FIRM. HE WAS A FIRST-YEAR ASSOCIATE WITH OUR FIRM. I SAW HIM MATURE INTO A QUALITY SENIOR ASSOCIATE AND THEN REVERT TO A NOTICE-IT-ALL, CONGRESSY, YOUNG PARTNER. -- A NOTICE -- INTO A KNOW-IT-ALL, CONGRESSY YOUNG PARTNER AND THEN INTO AN EFFECTIVE PARTNER. OUR RELATIONSHIP STARTED, AS IT SHOULD HAVE, WITH JUSTICE CANTERO CARRYING MY BRIEFCASE TO COURT. IT ENDED ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AGO, WHEN WE WENT TO A CASE THAT WE WERE BOTH WORKING ON, AND HE SIMPLY TOLD ME TO SIT QUIETLY IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM AND WATCH HIM DO HIS MAGIC. [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE] HE DID HIS MAGIC, BECAUSE WE WON THE CASE! GOVERNOR, I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR GIVING HIM THIS NEW JOB, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK MY EGO COULD TAKE WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT, THAT I WOULD END MY CAREER CARRYING HIS BRIEFCASE. [LAUGHTER] GOVERNOR, YOU DID MAKE A VERY, VERY WEISS CHOICE. -- A VERY, VERY WISE CHOICE IN SELECTING JUSTICE CANTERO. HE HAS THE QUALITIES TO MAKE A GREAT JUSTICE. HE HAS THE INTELLECT, THE INTEGRITY BEYOND REPROACH, THE TEMPERMENT AND, ABOVE ALL, THE COMPASSION. OUR LOSS AT THE FIRM IS THE STATE OF FLORIDA'S GAIN. JUSTICE CANTERO, WE WILL MISS YOU AND I WILL MISS YOU. MY MOTHER KNEW AND WAS VERY FOND OF LITTLE RAOULITO. SHE THOUGHT THAT HE WAS THE EXAMPLE OF THE BEST OF WHAT CUBA HAD TO OFFER THIS COUNTRY IN RETURN FOR THIS COUNTRY GIVING US A HOME. SHE THOUGHT THAT HE WAS BRIGHT, ENERGETIC, YOUNG, LOYAL CUBAN-AMERICAN, THE TYPE OF INDIVIDUAL THAT COULD HELP LEAD NOT ONLY THE COMMUNITY, HIS STATE, BUT THIS NATION INTO THE FUTURE. MY MOM WROTE A BOOK, WHICH IS REALLY A COMPILATION OF SAYINGS IN HER BELOVED CUBA. THE NAME OF THE BOOK IS" TOTO POCO", ABOUT EVERYTHING LITTLE, AND I WENT TO SEE WHETHER I COULD GET OUT OF THAT, SEEING WHAT SHE WOULD HAVE TOLD LITTLE RAOULITO, IF SHE WERE HERE TODAY. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT KNEW MY MOM, SHE BELIEVED IN DECEMBER I KNOW I AND WAS ALWAYS -- IN DISNEY AND WAS ALWAYS TO -- IN DESTINY AND WAS ALWAYS TO THE POINT IN HER COMMENTS, SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO LOOK FAR IN THE BOOK. THE SAYING WAS ON THE THIRD PAGE. AND I THINK WHAT SHE WOULD HAVE SAID TO YOU IS [SPEAKS SPANISH [SHALL-AND NOW MY BEST FLORIDA TRANSLATION OF THAT IS, IF THE SHOE FITS, WATER IT. JUSTICE CANTERO, DESTINY FOR YOU HAS ARRIVED, THE ROAD HAS ARRIVED. IT FITS -- THE ROBE HAS ARRIVED. WATER IT WITH PRIDE AND DIGNITY. MY COLLEAGUES AT THE FIRM AND THE REST OF YOU WHO ARE BACK IN THE OFFICE, HOPEFULLY GETTING BACK TO WORK AFTER THIS, WATCHING THIS ON THE INTERNET, ARE HAPPY FOR YOU AND ARE VERY, VERY PROUD OF YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE WITH THE WORDS OF A PERSON THAT YOU AND I BECAME VERY CLOSE TO, A PERSON WHO YOU AND I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR, AND PROBABLY ONE OF OUR MOST INTERESTING CLIENTS. YOU ALREADY KNOW WHO THAT IS. AND I WISH THAT HE WAS HERE TODAY, BUT I KNOW HE IS WATCHING FROM ABOVE. THAT IS THE WORDS OF JORGE MANISO, AND THAT IS, IT IS TIME! [APPLAUSE] [OVATION]

CHIEF JUSTICE: ALL RIGHT. THE TIME HAS ARRIVED FOR JUSTICE CAN'T CAN'T TO DO HIS MAGIC. JUSTICE CANTERO. JUSTICE CANTERO. THANK YOU, CHIEF JUSTICE. HERE WE GO. I WANT TO THANK ALL THE SPEAKERS TODAY FOR THEIR KIND WORDS. I HAVE ALWAYS FELT UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE CONCEPT OF PRAISING JUDGES BEFORE THEY HAVE GAINED ANY EXPERIENCE IN JUDGING. IN MY OPINION, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE HERE TODAY, SPEAKERS INCLUDED, THAT DESERVE PRAISE MORE THAN I. I REALIZE, HOWEVER, THAT I SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MOMENT, SINCE IT MAY BE THE LAST TIME ANYONE SAYS SOMETHING NICE ABOUT ME. [LAUGHTER] ONE PERSON IN PARTICULAR I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE IS THE MAN WHOM I AM REPLACING ON THIS COURT, NOW SENIOR JUSTICE MAJOR HARDING. HE SERVED THIS STATE AS A JUDGE FOR 34 YEARS, THE LAST ELEVEN AS A JUSTICE ON THIS COURT. IN COMPARISON, I HAVE SERVED ONE MONTH. ONE RETIREMENT CEREMONY JUST DOES NOT SEEM TO ADEQUATELY HONOR HIM: MAJOR HARDING, COULD YOU PLEASE STAND. [APPLAUSE] [OVATION] MAJOR, APART FROM THE OBVIOUS HONOR I FEEL AT BEING APPOINTED, I AM ALL THE MORE HONORED AND IN AH, AT REPLACING SO -- AND IN AH, AT RE-- AND IN AWE, AT REPLACING SUCH AN ESTEEMED JUSTICE, A FAMILY MAN AND DEVOTED JURIST, WHO HAS DESCRIBED HAS CORE BELIEFS AS FAITH IN THE LOVE OF GOD AND TO LOVE ONE'S NEIGHBOR AS ONESELF. JUSTICE HARDING, NOT ONLY BELIEVED THOSE THINGS. HE PRACTICED THEM. I AM GRATEFUL TO HAVE SUCH A WORTHY EXAMPLE TO EMULATE. TODAY IS ONE OF THE HAPPIEST DAYS OF MY LIFE, AND I THANK ALL OF YOU FOR COMING AND SHARING IT WITH ME. I ESPECIALLY THANK ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO TRAVEL FROM OUT OF TOWN, FROM ALL-AROUND FLORIDA, MANY FROM MIAMI, AND FROM AS FAR AWAY AS VENEZUELA, PANAMA, CALIFORNIA, WASHINGTON, D.C., NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY. IT MAKES THIS DAY THAT MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL. TODAY CULMINATES THE FULFILLMENT OF A DREAM FOR ME. I HAVE WANTED TO BE A JUDGE, EVER SINCE I WORKED AS A CLERK FOR THE MAN WHO SWORE ME IN TODAY, EDWARD B DAVIS. AS HIS LAW CLERK, I WAS IMPRESSED BY THE ART OF JUDGING, OF HAVING THE LUXURY AS WELL, AS THE RESPONSIBILITY, OF DECIDING FOR ONESELF THE CORRECT OUTCOME RATHER THAN BELIEF THE FIRST AND THE HIGHEST CALLING OF EVERY CITIZEN IS TO SERVE OTHERS. ALTHOUGH I WORKED IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR MOST OF MY CAREER, I TRIED TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY AS A MEMBER OF BOARDS IN MY CITY, AS JUDGE DAVIS, AS HE WAS THE EPITOME FOR ME, AND IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE DAY HAS COT. AFTER THE APPOINTMENT, I WAITED FOR A CALL FROM THE GOVERNOR THAT THEY HAD MADE A MISTAKE, THAT THEY HAD APPOINTED THE WRONG PERSON. I AM PLEASED TO SEE THE GOVERNOR HERE TODAY. I AM PROUD OF MY POSITION, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE HIGHEST CALLING OF A CITIZEN IS TO SERVE OTHERS. ALTHOUGH I WORKED IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR THROUGHOUT MY CAREER, I TRIED TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY AS A VOLUNTEER MEMBER OF BOARDS IN MY CITY, CORAL GABLES, ON COMMITTEES OF THE FLORIDA BAR, ON A JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION AND THROUGH MY WORK IN MY PARISH CHURCHES. HOWEVER, I FELT STRONGLY THE CALLING TO AN EVEN GREATER SERVICE. I BELIEVE THE CONCEPT OF SERVICE IS THE CRITICAL OF THE LIFE OF ANY JUDGE AND ESPECIALLY A JUSTICE OF THIS COURT. IT IS WHAT ALLOWS A JUSTICE TO RETAIN HUMANITY ILLITY IN THE FACE OF SO MUCH AUTHORITY, AND REMINDS ONE THAT THE OFFICE DOES NOT EXIST FOR THE JUDGE BUT FOR THE PEOPLE, ALL OF THE PEOPLE. IT ALSO ENABLES THE JUDGE TO SUBORDINATE HIS WILL AND APPLY THE LAW EVEN WHEN HE DOES NOT AGREE WITH IT. I AM HERE TO SERVE, NOT TO BE SERVED. I HOPE WHEN I LEAVE PUBLIC LIFE, MY FRIENDS WILL BE ABLE TO SAY I AM THE SAME MAN I AM TODAY, IF A LITTLE WISER. TODAY WE CELEBRATE FOR NOT ONLY ME BUT FOR ALL AMERICANS. FOR CUBAN-AMERICANS IN PARTICULAR, IT IS THE CULMINATION OF A LONG STRUGGLE. I HAVE ATTENDED FUNCTIONS OF THE CUBAN-AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION, AT WHICH OUR ELDER STATESMEN RECOUNTED THE DISCRIMINATION THEY FACED UPON THEIR ARRIVAL HERE AND FOR MANY YEARS AFTERWARD, SUBTLELY BUT IN WAYS. AND NOW THIS ASSURES THAT NOT ONLY CUBAN-AMERICANS BUT ALL MINORITIES HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY. BY THIS APPOINTMENT, THE GOVERNOR AND THROUGH HIM THE STATE OF FLORIDA, HAS CONFIRMED THAT CUBAN-AMERICANS ARE EXILES NO LONGER. WE ARE FULL SHAREHOLDERS IN THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL LIFE OF THE STATE, WORTHY OF SERVING AT ALL LEVELS. FROM THIS DIFORWARD, OUR CHILDREN KNOW THAT THEY CAN ASPIRE TO ANY POSITION IN THE STATE. INDEED IN THIS COUNTRY. ONE REASON WHY I APPLIED FOR THIS POSITION WAS BECAUSE I BELIEVED THIS WAS A GOAL WORTH ACHIEVING. AS CUBAN-AMERICANS, WE SHARE A COMMON CULTURE, A COMMON HISTORY, AND A COMMON HOPE FOR FREEDOM IN CUBA, BUT LET NO ONE MISTAKE, WE ARE ALSO 100 PERCENT AMERICAN, UNITED WITH ALL FLORIDIANS, UNDER THE SAME FLAG, THE SAME CONSTITUTION, AND THE SAME LAWS THAT GOVERN THIS GREAT STATE AND THIS GREAT NATION. WE LOVE THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY THAT HAS WELCOMED US FOR OVER 40 YEARS, AND WE WANT TO SHOW OUR APPRECIATION BY GIVING BACK OF OURSELVES, BY SERVING YOU, OUR FELLOW CITIZENS. TODAY WE CONTINUE THE PROCESS OF THANKING YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY. THIS IS A VERY EMOTIONAL TIME FOR US, SEEING THE FACES OF SO MANY FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS WE HAVE LEFT BEHIND, REMINDS US THAT THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING HERE COMES AT A GREAT PRICE. WE HAVE LEFT THE FAMILY WE LOVE, THE FRIENDS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED US, AND THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS WELCOMED US. WE ARE HEARTENED BY THE FIRM BELIEF THAT IT IS GOD'S WILL FOR US AND THAT HE WILL GUIDE US THROUGH. WE WILL MISS ALL OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN MIAMI AND, OF COURSE, WE WILL MISS THE CUBAN CULTURE, BUT I HAVE BROUGHT A LITTLE BIT OF THAT CULTURE TO THE COURT. WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT? [LAUGHTER] EVERY AFTERNOON, MY CHAMBER SERVES CAFE CUBAN-. -- CUBANO. WAIT. THERE IS MORE. AND MY JUDICIAL ASSISTANT, HIM WHOM I IMPORTED FROM MIAMI -- ASSISTANT, WHOM I IMPORTED FROM MIAMI, MAKES SURE IT HAS THE LITTLE BUBBLES ON THE TOP. OKAY. I ALSO WEAR MY GUARVARA EVERY FRIDAY. IT IS A SHIRT WORN IN CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES, CURRENTLY WORN AS FORMAL WEAR BECAUSE OF THE HOT WEATHER, THERE FOR IN ANTICIPATING THE HEATED DISCUSSION OF THE CONFERENCES OF THE COURT, I AM GIVING MY COLLEAGUES A GUAYABERA OF THEIR OWN. I WOULD ASK THE MARSHAL TO PASS THOSE OUT NOW. [APPLAUSE] [LAUGHTER] MAJOR HARDING, OF COURSE THERE IS ONE FOR YOU, TOO. NOW, I WILL ALWAYS HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF MIAMI HERE AT THE COURT. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE I NEED TO THANK TODAY, IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, FOR HELPING ME ACHIEVE THIS GOAL. I WILL APOLOGIZE TO THOSE WHO, INEVITABLY I NEGLECT TO MENTION. I THANK MY MOTHER AND MY FATHER FOR PUTTING ME THROUGH COLLEGE AND LAW SCHOOL AND SUPPORTING ME IN ALL OF MY CAREER CHOICES, ESPECIALLY THIS ONE. I THANK MY MOTHER AND FATHER-IN-LAW FOR TAKING ME IN, EVER SINCE I BEGAN DATING THEIR DAUGHTER 25 YEARS AGO AND TREATING ME AS ONE OF THEIR OWN SONS EVER SINCE. [APPLAUSE] STOP CRYING, MAGGIE. I THANK MY GRANDMOTHER FIFI FOR BEING THERE SO MANY TIMES FOR ME IN MY LIFE. I AM THANKFUL THAT YOU ARE HERE TO SHARE THIS MOMENT WITH ME. I THANK MY TEACHERS FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THROUGH LAW SCHOOL. TEACHERS ARE THE UNSUNG HEROES OF THE WORLD. THEY SERVE OTHERS WITH LITTLE OR NO RECOGNITION, YET THEY CAN MAKE A PROFOUND DIFFERENCE IN THE LIFE OF A CHILD. SOME OF MY TEACHERS AND PROFESSORS ARE HERE TODAY, SUCH AS AMERICA NOVAS, MY SEVENTH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER. THANK YOU, MRS. NOVAS, FOR MAKING US WRITE OUT IN LONGHAND, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. AS PUNISHMENT DURING RECESS. I THINK IT WAS AT THAT TIME THAT I FIRST WANTED TO BECOME A LAWYER. THANK YOU FOR CARING SO MUCH ABOUT ME AND YOUR OTHER STUDENTS. I THANK JUDGE DAVIS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK FOR YOU AND FOR BEING SUCH A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT A JUDGE SHOULD BE. [APPLAUSE] I THANK HANK ADORNO, GEORGE YOSS, MITCH BLOOMBERG AND OTHER PARTNERS AT ADORNO AND YOSS, WHO TRUSTED ME AS YOUNG ASSOCIATE WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HANDLING APPEALS. YOUR CONFIDENCE IN ME HELPED ME DEVELOP A LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE I COULD NOT HAVE ACHIEVED ELSEWHERE. I THANK THE MANY PEOPLE WHO ENCOURAGED ME TO APPLY AND WHO HELPED AND ADVISED ME DURING THE PROCESS. THE AMOUNT OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORTIVE RECEIVED, TRULY OVERWHELMED ME, BUT THOSE WHOSE SUPPORT GRATIFIED ME THE MOST WERE MANY OF MY OPPOSING COUNSEL, SOME OF WHOM HAD ENCOURAGED ME TO APPLY. THEIR SUPPORT CONFIRMED, FOR ME, THAT PROFESSIONISM DOES EXIST IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW AND THAT ONE'S OPPONENT NEED NOT BE ONE'S ENEMY. TO THE CONTRARY, MANY OF MY OPPOSING COUNSEL HAVE BECOME MY FRIENDS AND ARE HERE TODAY. I THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION FOR NOMINATING ME. I KNOW THERE WERE MANY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FROM THROUGHOUT THE STATE. I THANK THE GOVERNOR FOR HIS WISDOM. [LAUGHTER] THE JNC NOMINATED OTHER EXTREMELY-QUALIFIED CANDIDATES, AND THE GOVERNOR FACE ADD DIFFICULT CHOICE. I, ALSO, THANK MY FELLOW JUSTICES. I HAVE BEEN TRULY OVER BHEMD BY JUR YOUR -- OVERWHELMED BY YOUR GENEROUS WELCOME AND YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT AND YOUR PATIENCE WITH ME AS I ADJUST TO MY NEW DUTIES. I ESPECIALLY THANK THE CHIEF JUSTICE FOR HIS INDULGENCE WITH A NEW JUSTICE, DESPITE THE FACT THAT HE IS A GATOR AND I AM A SEMINOLE. I THANK MY JUDICIAL ASSISTANT LILLIAN DOMINGUEZ, WHO HAS MADE A SACRIFICE OF HER OWN, BY AGREEING TO COME FROM MIAMI TO WORK HERE, AND MY LAW CLERKS LANA JOHNSON, LEAH MARINO, AND BRANDON PERKINS, FOR AGREEING TO WORK WITH ME, EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHO I WAS. FINALLY, I WANT TO THANK MY WIFE ANI, WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT AND SUPPORT, I WOULD NOT HAVE APPLIED, AND I AM THANKFUL THAT YOU LET ME. YOUR SACRIFICE IS EVEN GREATER THAN MINE. YOU HAVE AGREED TO LEAVE YOUR LARGE FAMILY, WHO ARE VERY CLOSE, FOR THE SAKE OF THIS NEW ENDEAVOUR. YOU DID SO OUT OF LOVE FOR ME AND FAITH IN GOD. THIS CEREMONY SHOULD BE FOR YOU, FOR ALL THE GREAT WORKS YOU DO AS A WIFE, A MOTHER AND FRIEND. I HAVE NEVER MET A MORE SELFLESS INDIVIDUAL. GRACIAS, MI AMORE. [APPLAUSE] [OVATION] I THANK MY CHILDREN, ALSO, CHRISTIAN, MICHAEL, AND ELISA. I KNOW THIS IS A GREAT SACRIFICE FOR YOU AS WELL. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT DURING THIS CHALLENGING TIME IN YOUR OWN LIVES. MAY THESE YEARS BE A JOYFUL AND LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR YOU. [APPLAUSE] JUSTICE HARDING, AS I CONCLUDE THESE REMARKS AND BEGIN MY CAREER ON THIS COURT, I FIND IT APPROPRIATE TO QUOTE A VERSE YOU OFTEN CITED IN YOUR PUBLIC LIFE AND THAT I, TOO, HOPE TO LIVE BY. IT IS IN THE PROGRAM FOR TODAY. WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF YOU BUT TO DO JUSTICE AND TO LOVE KINDNESS AND TO WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD. THANK YOU FOR COMING AND SHARING THIS TODAY WITH ME. MAY GOD GIVE ME THE GRACIOUS NECESSARY TO LIVE UP TO HIS WISDOM AND THE PRIDE THAT YOU HAVE IN ME. SALUD, SALUD, SALUD! [OVATION]

CHIEF JUSTICE: THANK YOU, JUSTICE CANTERO. YOU HAVE INDEED WORKED YOUR MAGIC. IT IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND, AFTER THOSE REMARKS, WHY JUSTICE CANTERO IS SO WELL LOVED AND RESPECTED. IMMEDIATELY OUTSIDE IN THE ROTUNDA, OUTSIDE OF THIS COURTROOM, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS CEREMONY ENDS, JOIN US FOR LUNCH. ALSO WE WILL RETURN TO THE COURTROOM AT 1:30 TODAY FOR THE PURPOSE OF PHOTOGRAPHS, AND AT TWO O'CLOCK TODAY ALL OF THE YOUNGSTERS, AND THERE ARE LOTS OF THEM OUT THERE IN OUR AUDIENCE, ARE INVITED BACK HERE TO THE COURTROOM. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A MOCK ARGUMENT LED BY OUR STAFF ATTORNEYS AT THAT TIME, FOR THE CHILDREN. [APPLAUSE] AT THIS TIME, I WILL RECOGNIZE THE REVEREND PAUL EDWARDS OF SAINT KATHERINE DREXEL CHURCH, FOR THE BENEDICTION.

I AM ONE OF FOUR CATHOLIC PRIESTS OF THE CATH LIKE DIOCESE -- OF THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE UP HERE. WE HARDLY TRAVEL OUT OF OUR DIOCESE. I WILL TAKE THE ADVANTAGE OF BEING UP HERE FOR MY COLLEAGUES, IT IS TRUE THAT MANY OF US KNOW AND ASSOCIATE WITH RAOUL AS PARISHIONER AND AS FRIEND AND AS COOPERATER IN OUR MINISTRY. WE ARE DELIGHTED, AS PASTORS AND PRIESTS OF THE AVERAGE DIOCESE, TO SEND -- OF THE ARCH DIOCESE, TO SEND ONE OF OUR SONS, FRIENDS HERE FOR THE SERVICE. IN OUR INVESTITURE, WHICH MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN IN OUR CATHEDRAL, BUT YOUR HONOR, SINCE SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE TUMERITY TO OFFER SUGGESTIONS, LET ME OFFER ONE AS WELL. WE HAVE RED, GREEN, PURPLE, BLACK AND GOLD. WE LEFT BLACK ROBES BEHIND LONG AGO. THE GUY BETTER A'S ARE A -- THE GUYABER As ARE A START. YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE THAT UP. MANY CELEBRATE THE BLESSING OF ANIMALS ON THIS DAY OF THE GENTLE SAINT. DOGS, CATS, SNAKES, TURTLES, BIRDS, PAROKEETS, RABBITS. THE ST. AUGUSTINE PARISH ALWAYS HAD, AND IT IS ALWAYS A LITTLE ONE FLICKSAL IN THE COURTYARD -- IS A LITTLE CONFLICTIONAL IN THE COURTYARD, AND EACH MAY CONSTRUE THIS CONCURRENCE AS THE SKILLS, LEGAL OR JOCKULAR SKILLS MAY LEAD THEM. I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE, THOUGH, THAT MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN HIS PEACE WITH ANIMALS WAS THE PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP THAT SAINT FRANCIS FOSTERED AMONG DIVERSE PEOPLE, A REAL WORK OF JUSTICE. IF I MAY BE PERMITTED, I WILL USE HIS OWN PRAYER AS OUR BLESSING TODAY, ON THIS OCCASION OF BENEDICTION. PLEASE BOW YOUR HEADS. MAKE THE LORD MAKE YOU INSTRUMENTS OF HIS PEACE. WHERE THERE IS HATRED, MAY YOU SO LOVE. WHERE THERE IS INJURY, PARDON. WHERE THERE IS DOUBT, FAITH, WHERE THERE IS DESPAIR, HOPE, WHERE THERE IS DARKNESS, LIGHT. MAY THE DIVINE MASTER GRANT THAT YOU MAY NOT SEEK TO BE CONSOLED BUT TO CONSOLE, TO BE UNDERSTOOD BUT TO UNDERSTAND, TO BELOVED BUT TO LOVE. IN GIVING, MAY YOU RECEIVE, IN PARDONING, MAY YOU BE PARDONED, AND IN DYING, MAY YOU BE BORN TO ETERNAL LIFE. HE MAN -- TO ETERNAL LIFE. AMEN.

CHIEF JUSTICE: THANK YOU FOR THOSE BEAUTIFUL WORDS. I GET THE LAST WORD, AND THE LAST WORD IS SPOKEN AS MUCH TO ALL FLORIDIANS OUT THERE AS WELL AS THE IMMEDIATE AUDIENCE THAT WE HAVE HERE. I SPEAK TO ALL FLORIDIANS, WHEN I SAY LET US ALL LEARN FROM TODAY'S GATHERING, THAT WE MUST ALL CONSTANTLY STRIVE TO COME TOGETHER AS ONE FAMILY, AS WE HAVE TODAY. THIS COURT IS IN RECESS. LET THE CELEBRATION CONTINUE.